Published: October 23, 2007 08:33 am         

Chouteau man arrested for prescription drug sale

A 50-year-old Chouteau man was arrested Friday for selling a prescription medication to an informant.

Kenneth Randy Surber was charged Monday with distribution of a controlled substance.

Working off a tip from the Chouteau Police Department, the Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and the District 12 Drug Taskforce arranged a controlled buy with a suspected drug dealer in the Chouteau area.

A purchase of seven Xanax pills was made with marked money and officers moved in to make the arrest.

Investigator Charles Smallwood, Mayes County Sheriff’s Office, said when officers approached Surber he ran inside his house and officers followed.

Once inside, Surber was placed under arrest and officers secured the residence.

Smallwood said Surber gave officers consent to search, which produced two loaded guns, several smoking pipes and marijuana.

Smallwood said the entire house smelled like marijuana because freshly picked marijuana was hanging in front of an air conditioner in Surber’s daughter’s bedroom to dry.

Also arrested were Chester Jones, 21 and Shelby Surber, 19, who were sleeping in a bedroom where officers found pipes and marijuana.

All together, officers found seven partial marijuana plants throughout the house in drying stages.

Officers also found several prescription bottles which belonged to Surber. Smallwood said the pills were all mixed together in one large bottle, which he commonly sees when someone is selling pills.

Officers also confiscated approximately $450 in cash, $20 of which was a marked bill.

His daughter, Shelby, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. Jones was charged with possession of paraphernalia.

Surber was released from the Mayes County jail Sunday on a $10,000 bond.

     

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